Save 20% On Select MerchandiseSave 20% on select merchandise purchased from L.L.Bean at llbean.com, by phone, at retail stores or on the L.L.Bean App; not valid at L.L.Bean Outlets or through our global.llbean.com website. To redeem offer, either click through your promotional email, enter promo code SUMMER20 during online checkout or provide the code to a phone representative. No code is required for retail store purchases. Offer applies to merchandise only and excludes shipping charges; return labels; taxes; license/stamps; gift cards; repairs; duty; engraving; monogramming; alterations; gift boxes; select footwear, backbacks, boats, optics, electronics; car racks; strollers and trailers; firearms; Outdoor Discovery Schools private lessons, custom adventures, adventure trips and youth programs; select products at our retail stores; and Direct to Business orders. Not valid on previous purchases or with employee discounts. Cannot be combined with other percent-off or dollar-off discounts including Special Pricing promotions and other limited-time offers. All refunds will match the discounted amount on the purchase receipt. L.L.Bean reserves the right to deactivate promo code(s) in the event of fraud or technical issues and to limit quantities of individual items eligible for purchase with this discount. Offer valid from Thursday, May 24, 2018, at 12:01 a.m. ET, to Tuesday, May 29, 2018, at 11:59 p.m. ET.

Q.
What is bike suspension?A.
Suspensions differ from bike to bike. For the casual
rider, the suspension system provides increased
comfort through the absorption of minor bumps. For
mountain bikers,it also helps to maintain control
and speed on tricky descents.

Q. What
are damping adjustments?A.
The damping adjustment helps control the suspension's
speed of travel or rebound. Less expensive forks
simply rely on friction, and thus are not adjustable.
With more expensive forks, damping adjustments are
made to match the terrain. If you ride terrain that
has big bumps, and ride at higher speeds, you'll
want more damping. You need to slow the travel of
the fork so that it doesn't bottom out, or launch
you when it rebounds. If you ride terrain that has
frequent, smaller bumps, you'll want less damping
so the fork can travel quickly and be ready
for the next impact.

Q. How
does bike suspension work?A. There
are at least two components to any good suspension
system on a quality mountain bike: the "suspension"
(or "spring") part, and the "damping" (or "shock
absorbing") part. "Suspension" keeps the rider floating,
or suspended. "Damping" slows the action of the
spring, or absorbs its energy. The best suspension
systems combine these two functions. The spring
can literally be a metal coil spring, an elastomer
spring or a chamber of air. The damping can be as
simple as friction, or as complex as a piston traveling
through oil. Some more expensive bike forks actually
have both compression and rebound damping.

Q. How
do I maintain my bike's suspension?A. The best
overall advice is to keep the suspension system
clean. This applies to all forks, even the "maintenance-free"
ones. For more detailed maintenance information,
consult your Owner's Manual or a reputable bike
shop. Today's forks are much easier to maintain
than they were 10 years ago. Easy-to-change cartridges
have replaced most of the "open-bath" models of
the past. Also, there are more elastomer and coil-spring
forks on the market, and "air" is making a comeback
on some of the higher-end bikes.

Q.
What are preload adjustments?A.
With the exception of the least expensive bike forks,
most have some type of "preload" adjustment. This
allows you to adjust or tune the spring rate to
your weight. Spring rate is how much force is required
to get the spring moving. A heavier rider will require
a higher preload adjustment than a lighter rider.